This invention relates to the polymerization of macrocyclic polyester oligomer compositions. More particularly, it relates to an improved method for such polymerization which is capable of producing novel branched polyesters.
The preparation of macrocyclic poly(alkylene dicarboxylate) oligomers and their polymerization to linear polyesters is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,039,783, 5,214,158 and 5,231,161 and in copending, commonly owned applications Ser. Nos. 07/702,577 and 07/978,583. The catalysts employed for such polymerization include various organotin compounds and titanate esters.
Polymerization using these catalysts is quite successful and affords polyesters having excellent properties and a wide variety of potential applications. However, the catalysts are somewhat sensitive to impurities present in the macrocyclic polyesters, particularly acidic impurities which can include water, hydroxy compounds and carboxylic acids and their anhydrides.
In the presence of such impurities, the catalyst may be partially deactivated and polymerization may be incomplete or may yield polymers with low weight average molecular weights. Attempts to increase polymer yield by increasing the proportion of catalyst in the polymerization mixture cause significant further reductions in the molecular weight of the linear polymer, since the catalyst becomes part of the polymer end group and increased amounts of catalyst compete for the same proportions of structural units in the macrocyclic oligomers.
Another problem sometimes encountered with linear polyesters prepared from macrocyclic oligomers, particularly when employed in fiber-reinforced composites, is a tendency to flow or "creep" under high load. This property is detrimental to the use of such polyesters under high load conditions, such as for the fabrication of automobile frames which must carry large weights and be extremely rigid and dimensionally stable.
It would be desirable, therefore, to develop improved catalysts with high activity for the polymerization of macrocyclic oligomers containing increased proportions of impurities, especially acidic impurities. It would be further desirable to convert macrocyclic oligomer compositions to branched polyesters having improved dimensional stability, for use as load-bearing members in automobiles and the like.